DEAR HARRIETTE: My mother lives in a retirement home, and I am so worried about her. There have been reports all over the country about the virus infiltrating old folks’ homes and killing lots of people. I feel like I should bring my mother home with me, but I’m worried that she might not stay healthy. My husband goes to work outside of the home every day. He practices social distancing to the extent that he can, but he’s a contractor, and he works with people. My mother is in her 90s and in fragile health. That’s why I want her out of the retirement building, but I’m not sure that my house is safer. How can I figure that out? -- Mom’s Safety
DEAR MOM’S SAFETY: This is one of the most frequently asked questions today. For anyone who has a parent or loved one living in a nursing home, the worry is that they might contract COVID-19, even after all of the precautions have been put in place. As you know, the level of quarantine in those spaces is high. Nobody can visit for the foreseeable future to avoid exposure. And yet there are stories of nursing homes having deadly COVID-19 outbreaks.
Talk to your mother’s doctor. Lay out your concerns and detail how your household runs. Chances are slim that the doctor will want you to move your mother there, given the way that your husband interacts with people outside the home. But trust the doctor. For AARP recommendations on how to support your mother, go to bit.ly/3bAstpW.